Of the sea

 

I was not formed from earth:

A dirty rib, used and scratching.

His name wasn’t on the birth certificate.

 

A womb of one’s own, forged in a locked room—

Nourished by sadness and

the shame they made her feel.

 

The sea always felt like home,

wind born waves held me.

Rocked me to sleep in a salted cradle.

 

Sometimes the monsters would come—

Emerging from beneath,

threatening to take my legs.

 

They never could, and I floated

eyes skyward.

Wishing I could row.

 

 

 

 

Atlantis

 

The cigarette burns cascade down a forearm

A mottled white waterfall of scars

Look where they’ve been, look what they’ve seen

 

Dead memories stall at the skin’s surface

Freckles excised by heat, puckered new land emerged.

Atlantis risen to the air

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Wall author photo

 

Anna Wall grew up in between two villages. She writes poems and sometimes does art. This year she will be doing a zine with the super talented photographer Alex Brown (@aroutinesearch) and her first solo collection will be published with BHP. You can find her here: @anneghemwall